Illusions in The Ice
by TrickyFishy.3
Summary: In the shared territory of RuneClan, LegendClan, CrypticClan, FabledClan, EternalClan and LostClan, the air is usually tense. But ever since preystealers were spotted, the tensity has risen. Forbidden bonds are formed between the clans, and as the Second War approaches, a bitter snowstorm looms over the clans. Families and friendships will grow stronger or break apart. T for death


Nothing has ever been as bad as the Dividing War until this. Oh, I'm sorry, I should probably explain everything before I continue. Hold onto your coat, it might get a little chilly. Now, follow me, and if you could just look into that giant crystal, it will show you every thing.

Let's start off with how six clans started, shall we? Many moons ago, when the twolegs reached their civilization's peak, cats were driven out of the forest and had to settle in cities. Eventually, war and famine settled between the twolegs until only a few remained in their once lively cities. The last few decided to create new life forms, and brought into this world horned and underground cats. Why they decided to do this is unclear, but it still happened. Soon, the twolegs fell into disease and they disappeared too. Wild cats from the west eventually traveled, told to bring order and law to the chaotic ruins. These cat's names where Squirrelstar and Leafpool. They tamed the fierce city rouges, herded up the solitary loners and even convinced the mutant cats to come out of hiding, for they considered themselves abominations. With that the group set off to find new territory, even though most cats were skeptical.

They eventually settled on a forest with a lake, a meadow, mountains and even a run-down city nearby. Squirrelstar and Leafpool taught the cats everything they knew, including how to hunt and fight, how to lead, everything that had happened in their territory and how it was resolved, the use of medical herbs, StarClan, how medicine cats can speak to StarClan and other important things. The two even discovered a shrine to StarClan, which still exists, after centuries. They formed a clan, whose name is long forgotten in time; hence every cat today calls it ForgottonClan.

Squirrelstar and Leafpool left the clan, believing everything was in balance, but a war broke out and nearly half of the somewhat flourishing clan perished. No one remembered how it started, but the results were tragic. A truce was formed and the clan separated into the broken city, the dying forest, the marshy pine beach, the snowy mountains, the riverbanks and the stone hills. The clans were named after the heroes of the war, now called the Dividing War, Runepaw, who warned the city cats of an invasion, Legendclaw, who fought to the death to protect his fellow horned clanmates, Crypticshadow, who was able to infiltrate other groups and successfully transferred half of the plans against the pebble-wearers, Fabledflight, who saved many cats lives with her medicine skills, Eternalsong, who prevented a pregnant queen from death by acting as a shield from attackers and finally Lostgaze, an elder who rallied her smaller clanmates to stand up for themselves. In honor of their deaths, RuneClan, LegendClan, CrypticClan, FabledClan, EternalClan and LostClan were born. Multiple times the six have battled over food or other nonsense, but the results have never been has horrible and tragic as the Dividing War.

Now that history is over, time for a tour. RuneClan has labeled itself over the centuries as the Clan of Mischief and Loyalty. This clan dwells in the Broken City, which is a somewhat large twoleg city with plants and trees overgrown everywhere. The camp is inside the central building, and though only three rooms haven't caved in or not suitable, the cats have dragged in brambles and moss to set up sturdy dens. The medicine den is its own room off to the side and the clan meeting area, The Grand Room, is in another. The central room is large enough for more then RuneClan to lounge in and lets in plenty of air through the broken windows. Dangers include rats, poisoned water, raccoons and falling to your death. The thing that separates RuneClan from the rest is the fact that the whole clan loves to collect things- mostly twoleg things. They know a wide section of terms for items and know how to use most of them. They even know how to read English! RuneClan cats often wear twoleg jewelry or accessories and pass them down each generation. If not given to them at birth, as soon as they are 5 moons old, they are taken by their future mentors, who are assigned to kits, out of camp to raid former shops for something. Once the kit spots something that catches their eye, they are allowed to keep it until he or she decided to pass it down a generation. Members pride themselves for their "relics" as they call them and not one has been against them so far. RuneClan mostly hunts birds, like house sparrows or pigeons, and small rodents, such as rats, mice and sometimes raccoons. They are excellent jumpers and are quite sturdy, and to help them balance have long tails that drag across the ground and are built for fighting. In fact, most of the time, cats travel on old telephone poles, broken support beams, etc. And another cool thing, to get a better view of the area, they train apprentices how to stand and walk a few steps on their hind legs. It is believed by other clans that RuneClan started the war by stealing kits.

LegendClan has taken to the title, the Clan of Fearlessness and Pride. This clan calls a swampy pine forest next to a lake home. The camp is cleverly located on an elevated, flat sandy area close to the shore, with a wide moat surrounding it and small pines spotting the surface. The area was perfect, besides the fact the whole clan had to drag a fallen log over to create a bridge. The dens are either under the shelter of the pines with a short barrier of dried mud around it or constructed of driftwood, mud and brambles. The medicine den is in the roots of a tree that looks like it was halfway pulled out of the ground and the gathering area for the clan is a wide pine, dubbed the Wide Tree, also serves for the leaders underground den. Dangers include bears, foxes, badgers, mud pits, pikes, herons, egrets, bobcats and drowning. The dividing factor of course is the obvious horns. The horns grow in at about eight moons, and shed every other winter to be replaced by larger ones, much like deer. The horns can be any natural color or shape, so no two horns are the same (usually the only exception are twins, triplets, etc.) They don't really take pride in their mutation, and they can get quite upset if teased about it. However, they love to brag about how great they are in swimming or climbing. They don't have specially adapted coats or feet, but their fur is always sleek and shiny, and their feet can get a good hold on a tree trunk, mud or the water's floor. The average fresh-kill pile contains fish, frogs, newts, ducks, geese, swans, waders, muskrats, gophers, and the occasional rabbit. Other clans like to think that LegendClan started the war by rioting for they weren't treated as equals.

CrypticClan has been called the Clan of Silence and Cleverness, and it stuck. The clan lurks in a gloomy, dull forest, that no matter what season it is, it always looks like it's dying. The camp is simply located in a clearing, with a little pond nearby and a clear opening in the trees to the sky. The camp is lined with thistles and brambles naturally, making this an idea spot. Instead of dens, the clan likes to sleep out under the stars, for a reason they have never mentioned to other clans. Elders, queens and injured cats sleep in three separate hollows in trees that are quite low to the ground for easy access, while the medicine cat usually sleeps near the patient's hollow. The leader has the option of sleeping in a hollow that is high off the ground, and steps onto a branch, the Hollow Branch, to speak to the clan. Dangers include getting lost, birds of prey, foxes, bears, snakes, wild boars, skunks, porcupines and badgers. The dividing factor of this clan is that they were necklaces they made themselves, fashioned cleverly out of a main vine and then weaving vines to make it sturdier and then tied on at the ends to a pebble in a complex knot. The pebble itself was a rock that was sanded down into a rounded oval by the leader and then a symbol is carved individually for the recipient, usually a kit. No two cats have the same symbol, and they aren't passed down generations, because the wearer is buried with the pebble. CrypticClan doesn't remember how or why this tradition started, all they know is that their ancestors created these pebble necklaces even before Squirrelstar and Leafpool rounded them up and still didn't know why. CrypticClan can easily stalk among the undergrowth or leap through trees, but the winning factor is how quiet they can be. Apprentices are trained how to silent their breath, camouflage their coats in shadow, and how to keep their movements quiet. Cats can have any different build, however the most common is lanky and thin. A daily catch might include mice, shrews, songbirds, skunks and sometimes birds of prey, if they're lucky. Other clans blame CrypticClan for killing the first leader- they only lost a few lives- to start a war.

FabledClan prefers to be called, the Clan of Depenability and Endurance. The clan reigns over the high mountains, and there is almost always a patch of snow in the summer, and blizzards the rest of the time. The camp is by the side of a steep, but short cliff, protected by evergreens, and just a walk away from a crisp mountain spring. Instead of separate dens, there is only one where everyone sleeps together in a cuddly huddle, and two smaller ones meant for either herb or food storage. The dens are built out of frozen pine branches, which have been lined with both prey fur or shredded fur to keep in warmth. The leader doesn't need to be up high, they just about out in the center of the camp, and cats come and gather. Dangers include wolves, mountain lions, bears, predatory birds, wolverines, yak, frostbite, avalanches, hypothermia and even sinking into the snow. The cats have developed thick fur, long legs, slightly longer tails (not like the RuneClan cats, they're not that long) and broader paws. They also can endure harsh winds and bitter cold, and are good rock climbers. There are not any unusual traditions, like relics or necklaces, but they are rather close to each other. They greet each other with a lick on the cheek, and to other cats, have no sense of space. FabledClan cats are also very cheerful and bubbly, even grouchy cats have their days. There are two builds, slightly skinny or bulky, but all are larger than outsiders. As in their diet, it contains snow partridge, ermine, pika, rabbits, and if they are lucky, some of the larger animals, such as geese, deer (7 cats to bring down), mountain goats (8 cats), yak (11+ cats), predatory birds (4 cats) and once, a patrol brought back a wolverine (9-5 cats). Other clans tell every generation that FabledClan complained about everything and went off to do their own thing, and came back with bloodthirsty cats to help out, and the rest of the Clan disagreed.

EternalClan represents the Clan of Daring and Persuasion. The clan makes its home by the largest river in the territory shared by the clans, yet unlike LegendClan, the ground is quite dry and all of the trees are birch. The camp is hidden in the reeds, on the side of the river away from the other clans. The ground is somewhat spongy, and there is plenty of razor grass to go around. The dens are made from dried mid, and on the inside, it's decorated with shells, bottle caps, feathers and other cool things, natural or man-made. The camp gathering spot is on top of the leader's den, called the Leader's Den, appropriately. The rest of the forest is not as dense as the others, and there are many herbs scattered her and there, so the Clan almost never had a shortage. Dangers would include flooding, drowning, wild dogs foxes, badgers, weasels, stoats, fishers, porcupines, razor grass and deadly berries. Just like FabledClan, the cats here have evolved to their territory. They have pointy muzzled to help them find prey by the bank and oily fur, webbed toes and longer bodies to swim, and longer claws to fish. They also are exceptionally skilled in convincing others, and often the ones to trespass. Hunts bring back turtles, duck, geese, fish of all kind, voles, shrews, weasels, stoats, crayfish, and maybe even a stolen porcupine from a fisher. The EternalClan cats are blamed for both manipulating others and sneaking off to cause trouble.

LostClan doesn't like this title that much, but they are the Clan of Greed and Diligence. This clan navigates their way through tunnels and caverns hidden beneath rolling hills, meadows and multiple boulders. The entrances to the tunnels are cleverly built to look like badger dens, but if you go deep enough, veins of gold and silver appear and clusters of valuable and non-valuable gems become a frequent site in all tunnels. The camp is a cavern deep underground, with such a high roof that there's a hole in the top that lets in air and the air won't even have to go far. The dens are basic indents in the cavern, some have a rough staircase that leads up to the entrance, while others a low enough for cats to jump into. The medicine den is no different, besides the fact that it is the lowest to the ground, second being the elders; so wounded cats can get in and out. The gathering spot for LostClan is a raised bump is the cavern floor, with an indent high behind it and a natural staircase towards it. Of course underneath the territory, there is multiple caves, but the camp is just the largest. Above the ground is a meadow/hills area with boulders scattered here and there and smaller rocks everywhere. Dangers include suffocation, badgers, foxes, getting lost and drowning. Though not noticeable, this clan is possibly the strangest of the clans, but not on the outside, yet on the inside. Their diet is normal until they go underground, where they eat rocks, precious metal and gemstones. They were created with a special type of paw, ones that have sharp and sturdy claws that stick out when sheathed and a durable design to dig through solid rock or pull out jewels stuck in cave walls. It still takes time though. Another addition to being gem-eaters is their teeth. Instead of normal cat teeth, they have teeth like sharks (minus the rows of teeth and serrated edges), except wider and harder, hard enough to crush diamonds. They are quite secretive about this towards the other clans, so the others just presume that they have very long claws and bad dental problems. Another noticeable yet hidden feature is how short they are. Not midget small, but smaller than average, an ear shorter then the normal size. This is because they were meant to spend their lives in tunnels, so they would need to be able to slip through tight spaces or walk normally in low roofed places. This leads to them being called weak or too young to be training. Another advantage is that they have better sight in the dark then most cats. Because of this, their eyes are sensitive to light, causing them to be nocturnal or spending their time in the caves. If they were to come out, it would have to be sunset or dawn, so that is the perfect time for patrols. Besides their odd diet, a LostClan fresh-kill pile contains bats, rabbits and field mice. Nobody knows what LostClan would of done to start a war, so all of them just like to believe they were just caught up in the mess and eventually joined because they were being affected.

So, these clans live in a place with a mixed forest, a pine forest/lake and meadow hills, right next to an abandoned city. The lake is the main water source, and there are streams running off from it, at least two in each natural territory and half of one in the city. The placements of these areas go like this,  
RuneClan mainly to the west and a bit in the south. LegendClan takes the upper northwest. CrypticClan has most of the lower west and some of the south. FabledClan has the north and a fraction of the northwest. EternalClan has the northwest. LostClan has the entire lower south. That would look like:  
FabledClan  
EternalClan LegendClan  
RuneClan * x CrypticClan  
LostClan  
* = Star Shrine/x=Central Clearing.

The average weather in the summer is brutally hot in the day and almost freezing at night. Autumn and spring have a balance between night and day, spring being fairly warm and fairly chilly, autumn being fairly chilly the whole time. In winter it sometimes snows and at night it is below freezing, while at day it is a pleasant 50 degrees. There's not normally rain but most of the time it is quite windy and when it does rain, it's either in the summer or winter.  
The shrine that Squirrelstar and Leafpool built still exists, though in aged condition. The shrine is under a hollow tree that was carved by multiple cats, and a tunnel was dug by LostClan ancestors, an found a natural larger replica of the Moonstone. Leafpool was the one to locate it, though most are skeptical. They also discovered a small cave, and it is only used if there is a horrible disaster, and it has been forgotten about. The whole place has been dubbed The Star Shrine and just twelve yards from the Central Clearing.

Since multiple clans have to gather monthly, it is normal for these clans to have a gathering area. The place has been nicknamed the Central Clearing, due to it being perfectly located between the clans. The whole place can easily fit seven clans, and in the middle there is a stump that is as tall as an adult twoleg. The stump is of course where leaders announce news, and the rest of the clearing has multiple useful herb patches, and since it is unclaimed territory, medicine cats are free to grab what they please. The clearing is also surrounded by a shallow stream, which can be easily waded though. Elders tell kits that the place was created as the perfect clearing for peace and sharing, and there have been absolutely no battles on the land, despite the constant bloodshed.

The warrior code has also been edited a little. You are allowed to kill if you have a good reason and female medicine cats can have kits - they just need to give them to another queen to raise. Also, because of the battles going on, all apprentices in all clans learn basic medicine skills. Medicine cats learn the hard things, and also are given the connection to StarClan

The territories for the dead are different as well, being in a separate area then the main clans. StarClan is an exact duplicate of the Earth territories, though all of the cats get along, it is always either night or a cloudy day, it's covered with stars and there are no borders. Also, at night, StarClan cats can watch the clans through the sky. The forest is very colorful, the stars change colors, the water is clear, and the city is in repair. The Place Of No Stars, or the Dark Forest, is quite different. Instead of being a place with no light, it is completely colorless, while StarClan is vibrant and beautiful. As well as being in black and white, it is always snowing and the clouds block out the sky, so no one knows the time of day. Instead of being full of chatter and laughter, it is completely silent as well. The trees and plants are dead, too. Both places are quite different in names, too. StarClan territory is called the Night Sky, and the Dark Forest is called the Unspoken Woods. Each of the dead cats look faded, the StarClan cats have stars reflecting in their fur and the Dark Forest cats have colorless eyes.

So, nothing major has happened since the Dividing War, except for maybe a few wars over prey or territory rights. And then there was the famine, and the drought, and also the whole thing with the wolf pack tearing everything apart, but those are just bedtime stories. Yes, one of the best stories happened right here, I was just catching up, but it's fine, I can start over. But it's a long one, might want to take a nap before you doze off in the middle of it. You can just sleep over there, while I go around my business. Make yourself at home, too. I might take a long time. Oh, my name? You can call me the Narrator.


End file.
